1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to silver recovery and more particularly to ultra low volume processing of and a tube cartridge for photographic fixer solution to recover silver therefrom.
2. Prior Art
Various silver salts used in photographic paper and film when fixed by various fixatives produce a complex silver salt which is dissolved or suspended in solution. As the fixatives become depleted, it is necessary that they be replaced to keep the fixing solution at a satisfactory strength if uniform and acceptable results are to be obtained in film development. This replenishment is often accomplished on a continuing basis by the addition of a given volume of concentrated solution of fixatives to the fixing bath, while at the same time an equivalent volume of spent solution is withdrawn. A method and apparatus, in the form of a bucket for recovering silver from such spent solutions was earlier developed. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,630,505; 3,692,291; 3,744,995 and 3,840,217. The indicated apparatus and method is per se inapplicable to ultra low volume processing of the indicated photographic fixer solutions in the range of about 10 gallons per month to two gallons per day. Heretofore, spent photographic solution used at the indicated ultra low rates was merely discarded as waste.